Armored car.



L. M. MOSER.

ARMORED CAB.

APPLICATION. FILED JAN. 2. I918 1,302,577. Patented May 6, 1919 2SHEETS-SHEET l.

.2 j 5 Zea JI/YvJ er L. M. MOSER.

ARMORED CAR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2.1918- 1,302,577. Patented M... 6, 1919.

I '2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Leo 1V Nader LEO M. MOSER, OF MOSCOW, IDAHO.

mmonnn can.

Specification of Letters Paten't.

Application filed January 2, 1918. Serial No. 209,886.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lno M. MOSER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Moscow, in the county of Latah and State of Idaho, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Armored Cars, of whichthe following is a specification.

The present invention relates to im rovements in armored cars, of thetank type, and is designed to provide certain improved features wherebythe heavy and ponderous automobile may be navigated, or steered withdespatch, thus rendering its movement of comparative flexibility and atthe' same time increasing its effectiveness by providing a great radiusof action while on the oifensive in warfare.

The invention involves, essentially an armored car or tank of peculiarconstruction and arrangement whereby the car itself is supported on thepropelling mechanism as a foundation, when traveling, as is usual, but

Y when stationary, the car is designed to support not only itself, butalso the propelling mechanism, as will be hereinafter more fullyexplained and set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings one complete example of the physicalembodiment of the invention is illustrated, built and arranged accordingto the best mode so far devised for the practical application of theprinciples of the invention, but it will be understood that colorablechanges and alterations may be made in the apparatus within the scope ofthe claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Figure 1 is asectional view of the armored part of the car, showing thepropelling mechanism and other parts in elevation, and with the body ofthe car supported on the prgpelling mechanism.

1g. 2 1s a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the outside of'the car.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, partly in section, but with the carsupported upon itself and also supporting the propelling mechanism ofithe ound.

Fig. 4 is a part al sectional detail view showing the ball bearing uponwhich the platform of the apex portion of the conical armored carmayrotate with relation to the base portion of the car, which base is inthe form of a' truncated cone.

Fig. 5 is a detail of the ball hearing between the apex portion and baseportion of the conical armor of the car.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of one of the locking detents to holdthe conical armor of the car against rotation with the main frame anddeck of the car.

In the preferred form of the invention the armor for the car is conicalin shape approximately as shown in the drawings in order to best disposeof shells or projectiles which maybe fired at it, and the base portionof the armor is indicated at 1 as a truncated conemade of a suitablethickness of steel plates designed for the purpose, and

fashioned with an enlarged, annular head 2- at its upper edge in which acircular groove 3 is rovided, and a ball race 4 is finished atthe ase ofthe groove for the balls or series of bearing balls 5 forming a race. Atits lower edge, the base is flared outwardly and turned or curled over,as at 6, to perform the flmction of an apron or guard preventing theenemy from securing a hand hold for the Eirpose of toppling the carover, and the d bo'ttom6 flush with the lower edge of the base, alsoassists in guarding the interior of the car from intrusion from theoutside.

Above the base, the apex portion 7 of the cone, is rotatable withrelation to the base, and to enable independent rotation of the apex,the lower edge 8 thereof rests upon the ball race 5 at the upper part ofthe base and Patented May 6, 1919.

permits rotation of theapex portion upon the base portion when desired.

The main frame of the car is indicated at 9 and has fixed thereon a gundeck 9 of suitable and proper construction, preferably circular in form,and supporting a hydraulic lifting jack which comprises the fixedcylinder 10 supported from the frame by the tripod base 11, andoperated, as is the entire operating and actuating mechanism ofthe car,from the motor or engine 12, the hydraulic jack being controlleddirectly by the governor 19, directly at its side.

The hollow piston 13 which operates as a plunger in the cylinder,supports the rotatable platformli, which has a pintle-14' seated inthe-hollow end ofthe piston so that it may move synchronously with the aex of thecone, when it is rotated through t e instrumentalitly lof thehead 14' and ball bearings 14 (see 'g. 4). I

In Fig. 6 is best shown the means of holding the armored portion of thecar rigid with the base frame and deck 9', a retaining detent 15 beingpivoted at 16 on the armored wall and adapted to engage a notch 17 inthe edge of the deck, and a latch 18 is a provided to' hold the detentout of opera'-' tive position when desired. There are several of these.detents Spaced about the periphery of the deck, at equal intervals, sothat-the detents may be made to engage any of the notches. Thus whenit-is desired to revolve the car, when in position of Figs. 1 and2, itwill readily be seen that. the detents may be disengaged, and retainedin inoperative'position. The conical armor is supported from the pistonby the radial arms or braces R, located just below the-ball hearingwhich supports the upper platform 14, and the piston is free to revolveinits cylinder which is in turn supported from .the tripod base on thegun deck and frame.

The propelling mechanism, which is supported'from the main frame, is ofthe cater-v pillar type, and includes the sprocket'chains 20 andsprocket Wheels 21, the latter ]Ol1lnaled' in the truck' frame 22 in theusual manner, and the propelling mechamsm is driven bypower transmittedfrom the motor or engine 12 in well known or approved manner. The bottomor base plate 6' forming a closure for the car is open, as at 6* for thepassage therethrough of the. caterpillar propelling devices, and springbraces 23,v are employed to lend comparative rigidity to the deck of thecar and absorb shocks,

by bearing against the base plate and recelvmg and cushioning anypivotal movement between the-armored shell of the car and the-rigidmainframe.

The armored shell is provided with suitable port holes 25-.f0r the guns26,- which are the usual rapid fire or automatic firements.

-. plate on the ground.

that the. shell-of'the car may be manually,

revolved bodily, or only the apex may be revolved, or both be revolved,as desired, to bring-the guns to bear'at certain points. The gun maybewithdrawn. from the port hole 25, and the. apex'm'ay-be manuallyrevolved, with relation tothe platform and frustumor fru'stoconical'shell, when desired. "If it is necessary to stop, the'car is brought toa standstill, and then,through -the instrumen tality of the hydraulicjack, the shell; islo'w red to'thei ground, with the basepl'ate,

resting directly on the ground, as infFi'gz-3,

and by continued action of the jack, the propelling mechanism .'andmain; frame are ent that the interior of the car is entirely shutoiffrom intrusion from the exterior... Now should it be desired to changethe course of travel of the car, as for instance in a retreat,

the detents 15 are disengaged, and the deck and propelling mechanism arerevolved within the shell as a support, either to an angular position,or to the exact reverse position, and the engine started. The jack againlifts the shell ofi' theground and thus shifts the weight of the entireapparatus to the main frame and propelling mechanism, and the. car maythus be manipulated and navigated with exceeding great mobility.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the necessary elements and featuresof construction of the car,'the details of construction being omitted,as are also some of the parts of-the driving, propelling, andtransmission mechanism, which are not necessary to a completeunderstanding of the invention as disclosed.

What is claimed herein is 1. In an armored car, the combination with. amain frame and a shell revolubly supported thereon and having a baseplate and propelling mechanism, of .means' for bodily raising the mainframe and propelling mechanism within the car whlle the shell is bodilysupported through its. base 2-. The combinatlon with a main frame andpropelling mechanism, of a frustoconical rotatable shell having arotatable apex and an open base plate to accommodate .the propellinmechanism, and means for transferring the wei ht of the entire apparatusto theshell by nism from the ground.

Y .3; Inan armored motor car the combination with a'main frame andI'OPBlllllg mechanism, of an inclosing she supported by the frame andhaving an open plate to accommodate the propelling mechanism andmeansfor transferring the weight of the frame and mechanism to theshelland supporting them thereby. 4. The combination'in an armored motorcar with a mainframe and deck thereon, .and propellin mechanism, of anupper latform'revolub y supported on the plat orm frame and a revolublefrusto-comcal shell, means on said shell co-acting with the deck Intestimony whereof I aflix signature.

' LEO OSER.

lifting the frame and mecha--

